Koteshwar Shiva temple
Koteshwar is name of an ancient Shiva temple located at the western tip of India in Lakhpat taluka, Kutch. The temple is situated on a high plinth overlooking the sea. Koteshwar Temple is the last outpost of human construction at the westernmost limit of India, is the breaking point of the skyline from the flat brown horizon to the east and the wide blue horizon to the west. From this point, the glow of light from Karachi, Pakistan can be seen in a clear night. It is an excellent sunset point. Koteshwar is a tourist-place that is situated in the Kori Creek of the Arabian Sea on the western end of Kutch just opposite to Karachi-Pakistan.
Hiuen-Tsiang mentioned it as “Kie-tsi-fa-lo, situated on the western border of the country close to the river Indus and to the great ocean of Kutch. According to Hieu-en-Tsiang, Koteshwar port was five miles in boundary near the mouth of the river Indus. There were 80 monasteries with about 5000 monks in them. In the middle of the completion were thirteen temples of which Mahesh Mandir was full of good monument.
The temples have been rehabilitated and renovated over many centuries by various rulers of Kutch, renovation done by local Kutchi karigargs.
Koteshwar at present shows us a few signs of its former greatness. It stands as amazing on the sea-shore, rising courageously from the sea that washes its western parts and temples are enclosed by prepared walls, the gate approached by three flights of steps. Koteshwar, as such, once was an ancient port and now is a fishing village more famous for the Koteshwar Shiva Temple, which stands here.
We like to thank -Chandra- for sharing his experience.
